YEAR IN REVIEWBuilding, Growing & Innovating with our Rocketeers

Rocketship Education’s 2013 - 2014

@RocketshipEd

2013 - 2014

NASHVILLEMILWAUKEESAN JOSE

Rocketship Education is a network of public elementary charter schools serving primarily low-income students in neighborhoods where access to excellent

schools is limited. We are driven by the belief that every child deserves an excellent education. Today’s public schools were designed over one hundred years ago and are not effective for all kids and their unique needs today.

That’s why at Rocketship Education, we’re rethinking elementary school from the ground up to eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime. By developing and supporting excellent teachers & leaders, personalizing learning and engaging parents, we are working towards a future where all students graduate from school prepared to thrive in college and beyond.

RRethinkingElementarySchool page 1 • rsed.org/blog/rethinking

San Jose lies in the heart of Silicon Valley. Against this backdrop of affluence and opportunity, there’s a growing achievement gap separating the children of tech entrepreneurs from those of low-wage service workers. The South Bay is where we opened our first Rocketship school in 2007 and we’re proud to have grown to eight schools and 4,700 students in 2013 - 2014.

Home to the nation’s oldest school reform movement, Wisconsin has the second largest achievement gap in the country, surpassed only by the District of Columbia. Milwaukee remains the most racially segregated city in the country and, in spite of decades of school reform efforts, parents remain hungry for change.

In 2013 - 2014, we put a team on the ground in Nashville, Tennessee in preparation for the launch of Nashville Northeast Elementary. We are working in close partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools and the statewide Achievement School District to provide an excellent education to more than 450 Nashville Rocketeers in 2014 - 2015.

85%of Rocketeers qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch

63%of Rocketeers are English Language Learners

85%of Rocketeers are African American or Latino

Our Communities

Our Rocketeers In 2013 - 2014, Rocketship served 5,000 Rocketeers across one Milwaukee and eight San Jose campuses. Rocketship opens campuses at close to full capacity, making an immediate, large scale impact on the communities we serve. As we grow, Rocketship continues to open high quality schools in areas where access to a great education is limited.

Rocketeer Supporters and Friends,

The 2014 – 2015 school year is off to a strong start as we welcomed back 6,000 Rocketeers and their families. One of those Rocketeers is my son Zeke, who is now a kindergartener at Fuerza Community Prep. I am elated to finally be a Rocketship parent! Amid all the excitement the new school year brings, I want to reflect on the incredible successes of our network this past year.

Success for us means more than just running top tier schools for our Rocketeers. For us, it means making significant strides towards eliminating the achievement gap in our lifetime. We have continued to grow with quality in the Bay Area, opening our largest school yet, while celebrating a third year of being in the top five percent of school districts serving low-income students in California. We also opened our first school outside of California. Southside Community Prep welcomed 300 Milwaukee Rocketeers and their families. After just one year, these students have achieved significant academic gains, proving that exceptional teachers and personalized instruction can overcome even one of the largest racial achievement gaps in the country.

Success for us means that we continue to innovate our school model and learn quickly. Moving forward with our lessons from the flexible classroom, we are poised to even more purposefully integrate technology with teacher-led instruction.

Success for us means parents effectively advocate for the great schools all kids deserve. Hundreds of Rocketship parents came out in force last year to petition for the opening of Fuerza and a future Rocketship school in Redwood City. After several hearings, our parents succeeded on both fronts with unanimous votes from two separate school boards. I am truly humbled by the power of our Rocketship community.

Success for us also means that our teachers and leaders transform their communities. Rodney Lynk Jr. returned to his hometown of Milwaukee to open Southside Community Prep last year. Fourth grade teacher Juan Mateos is entering his first year as a school leader in San Jose, the community where he grew up. After six years opening and leading Rocketship schools, Adam Nadeau is now back home in Nashville, opening our third region. In 2016, a current school leader in San Jose, Amy Zapatka, will return to DC, the community she’s called her home away from home for more than five years.

I am grateful for how far we’ve come at Rocketship — and I’m even more excited by what we have yet to accomplish. Together, we will eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime.

Let’s get it done.

Preston SmithCofounder and CEO

CEOMessage page 2 • rsed.org/blog/preston

Our Communities

W

BEGINNINGS and BEYOND

e were founded in San Jose, but we know the achievement gap stretches across the nation. Every day, millions of students across the country aren’t getting the education

they need. There’s absolutely no difference in the academic potential of these students compared to students in high performing schools. All kids deserve an excellent education. To eliminate the achievement gap, we must continue to open high quality schools in neighborhoods where options for an excellent education are limited.

BlastingBeyond page 3 • rsed.org

2009 Tutoring & online learning time is integrated into the school day

In 1999, Father Mateo Sheedy of Sacred Heart Parish realized none of the students in his parish met the basic requirements to attend top-tier universities. This troubling realization inspired his San Jose based parish to seek solutions. A community initiative began that would eventually lead to the founding of Rocketship Education. In 2005, parishioners from Sacred Heart approached our soon-to-be cofounders John Danner and Preston Smith. One year later: Blast off.

2006

Rocketship Education is founded

2007First school, Mateo Sheedy Elementary, opens to 160 Rocketeers

We know only one in ten students who grow up in low income communities will make it to college. This is why there’s an urgent need to eliminate the achievement gap in our lifetime. Dr. Frederick J. FerrerChair, Rocketship Education Board of Directors Chief Executive Officer, The Health Trust

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Eight Years of Rocketship Growth

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

6,000

5,000

3,800

2,500

1,350

900

325160

TNschool

WIschool

CAschools

2016 First Rocketship school in DC will open in Ward 82011

Rocketship grows to five schools in the Bay Area, serving 2,500 Rocketeers

2012Rocketship commits to serving the new regions of WI, TN and Washington, DC

2013 First school outside of California, Southside Community Prep, opens in Milwaukee

2014Nashville Northeast Elementary opens in Tennessee

# ofRockeers

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Rocketship serves students who often arrive many grade levels behind their affluent peers. Targeted instruction is absolutely essential to getting our students back on track. Rocketeers

engage in personalized instruction tailored to their unique learning needs and styles. Our blended learning model combines traditional instruction, technology and tutoring, allowing every Rocketeer to learn at his or her own pace. And best of all, this model works for all students, whether they are catching up or racing ahead.

Achievement : PersonalizedLearning page 4 • rsed.org/blog/PersonalizedLearning

Personalized Learning Drives our Results Traditionally, schools are expected to deliver one year of academic growth for every year a student is in school. But for many of our Rocketeers who come to us behind grade level, one year of growth simply isn’t enough. Rocketeers are growing far more, eliminating the achievement gap between them and their peers across the country.

For the third year in a row, Rocketship is in the top 5% of CA school districts serving low income students.

Rocketship

Surrounding Districts

CA Elementary Average

Statewide Goal (800)

All Students Low-Income English Learners

841

817

833

783

767 77

8

758

831

Each California school receives an Academic Performance Index (API) score based on California standardized test results. Surrounding Districts in this chart include the aggregate average of API scores from elementary schools in Alum Rock Union Elementary, San Jose Unified and Franklin-McKinley school districts. The CA results are a weighted average of all CA elementary school API scores. Because of the state-wide shift to Common Core, the most recent data for CA and surrounding districts is from 2012 - 2013. The most recent data for Rocketship is from 2013 - 2014.

California Academic Performance Index (API)

1.5 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in mathon the NWEA MAP

1.3 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in reading on the NWEA MAP

817

N

In 2012 - 2013, 76 percent of Mateo Sheedy’s third graders were Proficient or Advanced in mathematics. One year later, Mr. Colon led fourth grade Rocketeers from our first school to exceptional gains.

School Spotlight

π78%of Rocketeers are Proficient or Advanced in mathematics, far exceeding the state average of 67%

2012-2013 2013-2014

Achievement : NetworkProgress page 5 • #RocketshipEd

etwork wide, Rocketship has grown from serving 3,800 Rocketeers in 2012-2013 to 5,000 Rocketeers in 2013-2014, an enrollment increase of 32 percent. In testing grades, we increased

enrollment by 29 percent.

+ = 5,000Rocketeers

Rocketship is building momentum, gaining 18 points in

our Network API while serving 32 percent more students.

While growing significantly in size, we have achieved excellent

results with our Rocketeers.2012-13 2013-14

823

841

+18 pointsincrease in students advancing from Basic to Proficient or Advanced in English Language Arts

= 200 Rocketeers

100%of 4th grade Rocketeers at Mateo Sheedy are Proficient or Advanced in mathematics!

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ip A

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Achievement : NewSchools page 6 • rsed.org/blog/growth

Since 2012, Rocketship has opened four new schools. These new schools are knocking it out of the park. We are immediately making a big impact in our communities and maintaining momentum

as these schools grow to full capacity in California and Wisconsin.

San JoseIn the Bay Area, we opened our eighth school: Spark Academy. Spark and our year two schools — Alma Academy & Brilliant Minds — made impressive gains with our Rocketeers.

Milwaukee Our Milwaukee students entered Southside Community Prep further behind than any other cohort of students in our network. After just one year, these Rocketeers made great progress. Additionally, Southside Community Prep launched a pre-kindergarden literacy program for 117 four year olds. Ninety percent of these young Rocketeers graduated reading at a mid-kindergarten level.

The achievement gap in Milwaukee is one of the largest in the nation. Therefore, opening a great school for our Rocketeers was critical.”Rodney Lynk Jr.Assistant Principal, Southside Community PrepMilwaukee Native

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849

API Scores for San Jose1st & 2nd Year Schools

Spark Academy

Year One

Brilliant MindsYear Two

Alma Academy

Year Two

100%of 4th grade Rocketeers at Mateo Sheedy are Proficient or Advanced in mathematics!

2 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in mathematicson the NWEA MAP

1.6 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in reading on the NWEA MAP

1.3 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in reading on the NWEA MAPπ1.4 years

average Rocketeer growth in mathematicson the NWEA MAP

π1.5 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in mathematicson the NWEA MAP

1.4 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in reading on the NWEA MAP

1.4 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in reading on the NWEA MAP

π1.6 yearsaverage Rocketeer growth in mathon the NWEA MAP

Spark Academy

Alma Academy

Brilliant Minds

Statewide Goal (800)

904

872

StudentEngagement page 7 • @RocketshipEd

Our Rocketeers’ long-term success hinges on both a strong academic

foundation and the enduring habits and drive to propel them through middle school and beyond. We work to create an environment where students are deeply engaged in their learning and bonded with their teachers and peers. This year, we introduced expanded enrichment offerings and new social-emotional curricula to better serve our Rocketeers.

Student ExperienceThis past year, we conducted our first student survey in partnership with YouthTruth. All third through fifth graders were given an opportunity to give us feedback on their school on a one to five scale. Here’s how they tell us we’re doing!

96%average daily attendance

We take seriously our responsibility to develop our Rocketeers’ social-emotional competence. Our Rocketeers learn to take responsibility for their learning and actions, demonstrate empathy towards others and persist in the face of challenges.”Genevieve ThomasSr. Director of Integrated Special Education

91%of Rocketeers return every year

Every year, fourth and fifth grade Rocketeers participate in an outdoor education program developed by Rocketship teachers to help bring science concepts to life. Watch the science camp video rsed.org/sciencecamp.

95%of parents regularly talk to their kids about college

Student Survey Results

Stud

ent E

ngag

emen

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Pers

onal

Rel

atio

nshi

ps

Aca

dem

ic E

xpec

tatio

ns

Rocketship

4.39

4.00

4.22

3.98

4.47

4.16

I love to learn how to read. I love to learn about the states. I love to learn how cookies are made. I love to learn about different countries. I love to learn about my world.” Ruben 4th grader, Brilliant Minds

“National Average

“

ocketship is deeply aware that our Rocketeers’ first teachers and life-long advocates are their parents. We

partner with parents on their children’s education and engage parents both within the school and in the community.

In addition to supporting their academic achievement today, investing in parents as leaders and advocates who will fight for their children’s education and exercise school choice ensures that our Rocketeers are set up for success in middle school and beyond. This past year, our parents successfully petitioned for two new KIPP middle school options for our Rocketeers and other students across San Jose. In total, our Rocketship families have helped launch 14 secondary schools of choice.

ParentEngagement page 8 • rsed.org/blog/EngagedParents

R

Parent & Teacher PartnershipsRocketship teachers and families are in constant communication about how Rocketeers are progressing in school. Our parents regularly engage in school events, providing critical input on school decisions. This past year, an average of 3,116 Rocketeer parents attended community meetings each month.

Rocketship parents who go on to become KIPP parents continue to advocate for their own children, and for all children’s right to a great education.”Susana MenaPrincipal, KIPP Heartwood Academy in San Jose

“

93%of parents would recommend Rocketship to a friend

Daniella Muna and her husband Vince speak at an Alum Rock Board meeting in support of Rocketship’s newest school in San Jose: Fuerza Community Prep. “I hope the ARUSD Board will pass the charter giving my future doctor, firefighter or engineer the opportunity to start preparing for college and making a future for himself that he, along with the community, can be proud of,” Muna said.

Rocketship parent Karen Martinez and her daughter Daniella pose for a picture with Richard Whitmire, author of “On the Rocketship: How Top Charters are Pushing the Envelope.”

In his book, dedicated “to the true disruptors: Rocketship parents,” Whitmire profiles Martinez’s transformation from a parent discouraged by her children’s underperforming local schools into a proud Rocketeer and a powerful community advocate. Today, Martinez is a first term ARUSD Board Member and a founding parent of Alpha: Blanca Alvarado Middle School.

Maricela Guerrero, now principal of Fuerza Community Prep, talks with a crowd of parent advocates before a charter hearing. After the charter was denied by the local district, Rocketship parents continued to advocate for choice and their students, taking their cause to Santa Clara County where the school was unanimously approved and opened in fall of 2014 to nearly 500 Rocketeers and their families.

92%of parents attended 2+ parent-teacher conferences last year

93%of families welcomed teachers into their homes for a home visit

ExcellentTeachers&Leaders page 9 • rsed.org/blog/Excellent

Great teachers and leaders are at the heart of our model and fuel our success. Rocketship invests deeply in their development to ensure our teachers and leaders are prepared to lead

transformational schools. We provide dedicated coaching, professional development and leadership programs to ensure all of our educators, regardless of experience level, thrive.

Each school leader coaches about six teachers. Our low teacher to school leader ratio allows us to provide a tremendous amount of coaching, training and feedback to all of our teachers. Our newest teachers benefit greatly from this intensive support. Last year, first and second year teachers led their Rocketeers to make an average of 1.4 years of growth.

We truly believe that iron sharpens iron – we bring our best and give our best to strengthen each other.” Dr. Wendy NobleVice President of Schools, Bay Area

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300+hours of professional development for each teacher each year

6 : 1teacher to school leader ratio for maximum support & development

2013 - 2014 Investments in our Teachers & Leaders• doubled teachers’ planning periods and developed common planning time protocols to build teacher collaboration and sustainability

• added a business operations manager position at all schools, giving 270 hours, or 34 days, back to our leaders to devote to instructional leadership instead of to daily operations

• created new lead educator roles to expand the impact of our most successful teachers

90%of school staff say someone at work supports them in their professional growth

89%of school staff say someone provides them with direct feedback on their performance

84%of school staff say they have had the opportunity to grow professionally in 2013-14

Join the Conversationblog.rsed.org

:

@RocketshipEd

ethinking elementary schoolfrom the groundup.

Excellent Teachers & Leaders build great schools

Personalized Learningmeets every student where they are

Engaged Parentstransform communities